Attachment for pens.



W-A. HARTLINE.

ATTACHMENT FOR PENS.

APPL|cAT|oN F1150 Nov,22. 1917.

1,268,970.,v Patented Jun@ 11, 1918.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

. v y l s mvENOH Y WHNESSES /4 54 l//a/ZJY rfi/fig ATTORNEY ATTACHMENT FOR PENS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. |917.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 @25. 592x d Y' f/ 'INVENTOH ATTORN EY UNITED QFFICE.

WILLIAM lA. HARTLINE, 0F PENNS GROVE, NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHMENT FOR- EENS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 11, 1918.;

Application led November 22, 1917. Serial No. 203,409. p i

To all "whom t may-concern:

Be it'known that I',.V1LLIAM A. HARTLINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Penns' Grove, in the county of Salem and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Pens, o l' which the following is a specification.

This inventior. relates to attachments for pens, and more particularly to a device adapted to be mounted on a pen and to support a blotter and other members which are normally used in connection with correspondence.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide an attachment of the character stated of simple construction and operation which may be quickly and easily-produced at very small cost. A further obJect is to provide a casing having means for detachably securing the same on a penholder, this casing being provided with a blotter projecting from the same so as to be readily available for use. A further object is to provide a casing having cutting means for opening envelops and also provided with a device for holding an ink eraser. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of an attachment constructed in accordance with my invention as applied,

Fig. 2 is a back view of the same, theenvelop opening device vbeing shown projecting from its casing,

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a front view of a modified form of the device in open position,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is an underneath view of another modied form of attachment,

Fig. 9 is a top plan 0r edge view of the same,

Fig. 10 is a section taken substantially on line 10-10 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 11 is an underneath view of another modified form, Fig.Y 12 is a section on line 12`12 of Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a section onv line lit-13 of vwith the body 2 having the upwardly die rected flange 3, and the cover 4 which fits snugly within this flange. This cover is provided, at its outer edge, with a sheet metal collar 5 secured thereto provided with an inwardly directed peripheral ange' which forms a retaining collar for. avglass covering or crystal 7. The collar`5 forms a cylindrical recess above the top 8 of the cover which is adapted to receive-a photograph 10 inserted beneath the crystal 7', or card with advertising matter printed thereon. It will be evident, of course, that, if preferred, the under face of the crystal 7 could be silvered to produce a convexed mirror.

A pin 11 is secured in the bottom `12 of body 2 of the casing and extends to within a short distance of the inner faceJof the top of the cover. This pin is adapted to it snugly into a bore provided at`the center of a blotting disk 13 which may be formed ot' blotting paper, or other suitable material. This blotting disk corresponds approximately in thickness to the distance between the top 8 and bottom 12 of the' Casing` and is of approximately the same diameter as the casing so as to normally project through and beyond the Hattened peripheral portion 14 of the same, as in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. A cylindrical sheet metal securing member 15 is secured on the back of casing 1. this member being extended and bent to provide an integral housing 16 which is secured to the back of the casing. Member 15 is adapted to snugly receive the upper end portion of pen 17 so as to detachably secure the casing on the pen. As will be noted more clearly from. Fig. 2 of the drawings, the securing member -16 extends in parallelism with the''attiied peripheral portion 14 of the casing, so that the blotter disk 13 projects laterally ofthe pen. In using this'device, after a line has been written, the disk 13 may be rolled over the same, the pen 17 being used as a handle for holding the casing, so as to'blot or dry the ink. By disposing the holding securin member 15 in the manner specified, inter erence of the pen with the use of the device for blotting purposes is eliminated.

At the opposite side of the casing from the flattened portion 14, and disposed at a right angle thereto, is secured a rectangular eraser holding frame 18 formed by bending from a strip of sheet metal and secured to the back of the casing. This fra-me is adapted to securely hold an ink eraser 19.

As will be noted, this eraser is so disposedas to project laterally of the pen 17 at the opposite side of the casing from the flattened portion 14 thereof, so that either the blotter or the eraser may be readily used, the use of either one of these members not being in any way interfered with by the pen 17.

`When the blotter disk 13 is not being used, the cover 4, which fits snugly within the body of the casing, may be turned so as to bring the peripheral flange thereof iny front of the portion of disk 13 which normally projects through the side of the casing, thus covering the disk so as to protect the same against injury. When it is desired to use the blotter, after the pen and the attachment carried thereby has been removed from the pocket, the casing cover will be turned into such position as to bring the flattened peripheral portion thereof into reg.

ister with the flattened peripheral portion of the body of the casing, as illustrated in the drawings. When the cover has been thus turned, the blotting disk will project throughv and beyond the flattened peripheral portion of the casing, as specified.

The housing 16 secured on the bottom of t-he casing is provided with an inner elongated arm 20 which is soldered to the casing. This arm is turned up for a short ldista-nce at each lateral edge to provide a short U-guide 21 at each side of the arm. These guides receive the inner arm 22 of a resilient U-member 23 which is thus slidably mounted on the inner arm of the housing. The outer arm 24 of this U-member is turned inward at right angles and shaped to provide a V-shaped cutting point 25. A rectangular gage member 26 is secured to the outer face of the inner arm 22 of the {Ul-member and is of such length as to permit sufficient inward movement of the outer arm 24 to bring the cutting point25 between the outwardly directed flange 27 formed at the outer end of inner arm 22 of the U-member and the flange 28 formed at the outer end of the rectangular gage member 26. TWhen this U-shaped cutting member is in its retracted posit-ion within the housing 16, the outer arm 24 will be held in depressed position by the outer wall of the housing, as shown in Fig. 4 of theA drawings. When the'cutting member isf moved into its outermost position, as shown in Fig. 2 the outer arm thereof will be released so as to permit raising of the same facilitatinginsertion of the edge portion of an envelop to be opened between the cutting blade 25 and the spaced vertical flanges 27 and 28. When the edge portion of an envelop has been inserted beneath the cutting blade, the outer jaw 24 may then be forced downward so as to force the cutting blade into the envelop, after which the envelop may be readily opened by moving the casing longitudinally of the same. The U-guide members 21 at each side of the extended arm g@ or base 20 of the housing 16, while permitting movement of the cutting member in either direction, serve to positively limit the outward movement of this member and to efectually prevent its complete removal from the casing. `After being used in the manner described, the cutting member may forth can be made practically entirely from sheet metal and may, therefore, be produced at relatively small cost. ln addition, in practice the device may be made comparatively small and, due to its light construetion, is well adapted to be mounted on a pen in the manner set forth and carried in a persons pocket with the pen. By this arrangement T insure that blotting and erasing means will at all times be readily available to a person using this device in conjunction with a pen, as well asmeans for opening envelops and similar containers relating to correspondence.

Tn Fig. 6 of the drawings, T have shown a modified form of container which is the same as that above described except that the body 30 and cover 31 are hingedly secured together as at 32, instead of being telescopically connected. This form of a device is identical with that previously described in all other respects and, need not, be further described in detail.

Tn Figs. 8, 9 and 10 T have shown still another modified form in which the cutting device described is replaced by lll-member 33 formed from a continuous piece of metal the inner arm 39 of which is soldered to the back of the casing, the outer arm 34 being provided at its free or outer end with the spaced transverse arms 35 and 36 between which is secured the blade 37, this blade being so positioned as to fit into a slot 38 through the bottom of the casing when depressed. The outer end of the inner arm 39 ico of member 33 is turned upward at a right angle to provide a limiting finger 40 which acts to positively limit the inward or downward movement of the 4outer arm 34 in the same manner as the outwardly directed arm of the member 26 in Fig. 4 limits the inward movement of the outer arm of the cutting member. In all other respects, this modified form is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 i,to 5 inclusive.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 11 to 14 inclusive the cutting member is formed from an arm 41 secured to the bottom of the,

casing and turned out at a right angle to provide a limiting finger 42 adapted to engage the outer arm 43 which is pivotally mounted on a pintle 44 passed through the alined pairs of .ears-45 Aand 46 carried by the arms 43 an 41 respectively. Outer arm 43 extends beyondethe limiting finger 42 and is turned inward at a right angle and `sharpened to provide a cutting blade 47 adapted to fit into a slot 48 through the bottom of the casing when the arm is depressed. Arm 43 is normally held in inoperative or depressed position by a wire spring 49 secured to the inner arm 41, the outer arm of this spring normally pressing against the underface of arm 43 in rear of the pintle 44.

The cutting member illustrated in Fig. 15 is formed from a continuous piece of sheet metal bent into substantiallyy U-shape. This member has the inner arm 50 and the outer arm 52. The inner arm is cut to provide a central tab which is turned up at a right angle to the body of the arm to provide an outwardly directed limiting finger 53. This arm is further provided, at its outer-end, with the two spaced upwardly directed guide members or flangesv 54 and `55 and the slot 56 intermediate the same. These members are adapted to receive between them the cuttingblade I57 formed at the outer end of the upper arm 52. A `set screw 58 is threaded through the upper arm'52 and adapted to enga e thebottom of the casing so as to positive y limit downward or inward movement of the blade 57. This set screw is supplemental to the limiting finger 53, the obvject being to provide means -for permitting adjustment of the forward movement of the cutting blade within certain limits. VThe form of cutting device shown inFig. 16`resembles closely A,that illustrated in Fig. 15, except that the blade 59 instead of being formed integral with the outer arm 52a is secured between the two depending flanges 60 and 6l carried by this arm. In the modified form shown in Fig. 17, the limiting finger is omitted, the downward movement of the outer arm 62 being regulated by the set screw 63 threaded through the same. Arm 62 is turned downwardv at an obtuse angle at its outer end to flange is provide with a threaded bore ily removed from, orsecured to, the upper arm 62 of the cutting member, thus facilitating sharpening or replacing of a blade. This construction will be more readily understood by reference 4to Figs. 21 and 23 of the drawings, from which it will beseen that the holding frame 66 is shaped so as to fit about the top and side edges of the blade 67, this frame acting to brace and support theI blade when secured to the depending flange 64 lof arm 62 ofthe cuttin m'ember by means of the screw 65. In the orm illustrated in Fig. 18,`the cutting blade 68 is secured to the inclined. flange 69 at the end of arm 70 by means of a screw 71 inserted through the same and through the blade holding and bracing frame 72. This frame also fits about the side and top edges of the blade so as, to brace and reinforce the same. The upper arm 70 of this cutting member is provided with lateral depending ears 73 which are pivotally secured by the pintle 74 to the ears 75 carried by the lower arm 7 6, this lower arm being provided with the limiting finger 77 and the spaced flanges 78 for receivin the -blade 68. A wire spring 79 is secure on the lower arm 76, the free arm of this spring exerting pressure on the underface of upper arm 70 so as to normally forcel the cutting blade 68 downward. A modification of the form shown in Fig. 18 is illustrated in Fig. 19. In this figure, the limiting finger 77 is replaced by a set screw 80 threaded through the lower arm 81, and the blade 82 is secured by the securing screw 83 between the depending spaced flanges 84 formed on the inner face of the upper arm ico 85. The arms 81'and 85 are also provided,

at the ends thereof remote from the cutting elements, with intermeshmg teeth 87 and 86, respectively. A wire sprmg 88a is mounted 'about the pintle 89 and acts to normally force the gripping teeth of the arms 81 and 85 together thus providing means for securing this device in a persons pocket by engagement of the gripping teeth with the edge portion of the pocket in the well known manner. When it is desired to cut or open an envelop, the cutting blade 82 may be forced between the spaced members 88 by exerting pressure thereon with vthe thumb in the manner previously described. The mounting of the blade in this form is more clearly illustrated in Fi 20 which is an enlarged fragmentary detail. As rwill be noted, by removing the screw 83, the blade 82 may be `quickly and easily removed for sharpening, or to permit the insertion of a new blade.

In Figs. 22 and 2e the blade 90 is of V- shape. This blade fits snugly into a supporting and reinforcing frame 91 having the spaced apertures 92 which receive the securing screws 93. The screws 93 are threaded through apertures 92 and through the alined apertures 94 in the blade and into suitable bores 95 in the depending and inclined flange 96 of the upper arm 97 of the cutting device. The frame 91 acts to support and reinforce the blade, while the screws 93 serve to firmly secure the blade within the frame and to secure the frame to the arm 97, it being understood, of course, that the apertures 1n the blade, the reinforcing and bracing member 91, and the depending flange 95, are all in alinement when the device is assembled.

VVha-t lf claim is:

1. A frusto-cylindrical casing, a blotting disk rotatably mounted therein and projecting through the flattened peripheral portion of the casing, a resilient member secured to the back of the 'casing and adapted to snugly receive the end portion of a penholder so as to secure the casing on the same, said securing member being extended and bent to form a housing, and a resilient approximately U-shaped cutting member slidably mounted in said housing provided at the out-er end of its outer arm with an inwardly directed cutting blade.

2. A housing, a member carried thereby adapted to snugly receive the end portion of a penholder for securing the housing to the same, and a resilient U-shaped cutting member slidably mounted in said housing for limited movement in either direction and provided with an inwardly directed cutting blade at the outer end of its outer arm.

3. A casing having a flattened peripheral portion, a blotting disk rotatably mounted in the casing and projecting beyond the flattened peripheral portion thereof, and a cover mounted in the casing and having a depending flange fitting into the same, said cover being provided with a flattened pe ripheral portion adapted to be brought into register with the flattened portion of the casing so as to expose the peripheral portion of the disk, the ange of the cover being adapted to inclose and protect the projecting peripheral portion of the disk when the flattened peripheral portion of said cover is moved out of register with the flattened peripheral portion of ,the casing.

ln testimony whereof ll affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WLLlfAM f A. HARTLNE. litnesses:

M. E. J ONES, Jessie W. Bonner. 

